Margarita Talep develops algae-based alternative to single-use plastic packaging
Chile-based designer Margarita Talep has created a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to single-use packaging, using raw material extracted from algae. More
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![Algae curtain by ecoLogicStudio]()
Algae curtain by EcoLogicStudio could make buildings more eco-friendly
London-based architecture office EcoLogicStudio harnesses photosynthesis in algae to remove air pollution with this living curtain, designed to rest over building facades. More
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10 bioplastic projects made from algae, corn starch and other natural materials
Could biodegradable plastics made from natural substances such as algae replace fossil-fuel polymers? Here are 10 examples of designers that are experimenting with environmentally friendly alternatives.
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The rising use of recycled plastic in design is "bullshit" says Jan Boelen
Designers should stop using recycled plastic and instead use bioplastics made from natural materials such as algae if they want to reduce pollution, according to Istanbul Design Biennial curator Jan Boelen. More
![Ecoalf creates sneakers made from algae and ocean plastic]()
Ecoalf unveils Shao sneakers made from algae and ocean plastic
The new footwear collection from Spanish fashion brand Ecoalf is made from recycled waste found in oceans and rivers. More
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XTU Architects proposes algae-covered towers for Hangzhou
French studio XTU Architects has developed a concept for four twisting glass towers in Hangzhou, China, featuring facades covered in panels impregnated with micro-algae. More
![Eric Klarenbeek x Maartje Dros at Dutch Design Week 2017]()
Dutch designers convert algae into bioplastic for 3D printing
Dutch designers Eric Klarenbeek and Maartje Dros have developed a bioplastic made from algae, which they believe could completely replace synthetic plastics over time. More
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Restored floodgates by Studio Roosegaarde reflect the headlights of passing cars
Studio Roosegaarde has restored a set of flood defences in the Netherlands, impregnating the floodgates with a new retroreflective material that glows in the headlights of oncoming cars. More
![Space10 creates an algae-producing pavilion in Copenhagen]()
IKEA lab Space10 creates algae-producing pavilion in Copenhagen
IKEA's external innovation lab Space10 has worked in collaboration with three young architects to create a four-metre-high bioreactor dome for growing microalgae. More
![That's It by Austeja Platukyte]()
Austeja Platukyte's packaging is made from biodegradable algae-based plastic
Graduate shows 2016: Vilnius Academy of Arts graduate Austeja Platukyte has designed a range of packaging using a material made from algae, which could replace non-biodegradable forms of plastic (+ slideshow). More
![Algae water bottle by Ari Jonsson]()
Ari Jónsson uses algae to create biodegradable water bottles
DesignMarch 2016: product design student Ari Jónsson has combined red algae powder with water to create a biodegradable bottle. More
![Terroir project by Jonas Edvard and Nikolaj Steenfatt]()
Seaweed and paper combine to create furniture
Designers Jonas Edvard and Nikolaj Steenfatt have used a new material made from seaweed and paper to create a chair and a collection of pendant lamps. More
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Blond and Bieber's dyes made from algae "don't harm nature at all"
Dezeen and MINI Frontiers: in this movie filmed at Dutch Design Week, Essi Johanna Glomb and Rasa Weber of Berlin studio Blond and Bieber explain how algae can be used to create completely non-toxic textile dyes. More
![Sea Me algae rug by Studio Nienke Hoogvliet]()
Studio Nienke Hoogvliet uses algae yarn to create Sea Me rug
Dutch Design Week 2014: this rug by Dutch designer Nienke Hoogvliet is woven using yarn made from algae harvested from the sea (+ slideshow). More
![Algaemy by Blond and Bieber]()
Blond and Bieber's Algaemy coloured dyes win Lodz Design Festival prize
News: Berlin design studio Blond and Bieber's project that uses algae to create colourful dyes for textile printing has won a competition for young designers organised by Lodz Design Festival (+ movie). More
![World's first algae-powered building tested in Germany]()
Arup unveils world's first algae-powered building
News: the world's first building to be powered entirely by algae is being piloted in Hamburg, Germany, by engineering firm Arup. More
![Researchers develop biological concrete]()
Researchers develop "biological concrete" for moss-covered walls
News: Scientists at a Spanish university are developing a new type of concrete that captures rainwater to create living walls of moss and fungi. More
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Dezeen archive: algae
Dezeen archive: this week we featured a skyscraper with an algae skin, so we thought we'd bring you all the projects involving algae we've published on Dezeen. See all the stories »
![FSMA Tower by Dave Edwards]()
FSMA Tower by Dave Edwards
Algae would produce energy and clean water for a conceptual skyscraper proposed for London by British architect Dave Edwards. More
![Semi-Rigid Car by Emergent]()
Semi-Rigid Car by Emergent
This concept car by Los Angeles architects Emergent is made of cartilage and makes its own fuel from algae. More
